Excreting sugar in your urine is one sign of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. In earlier times it was used for making the diagnosis. It indicates blood sugar levels are so high that when the blood passes through the kidneys for cleansing some of the sugar, instead of being saved, goes out into the urine. One way of assessing diabetes control is by testing for sugar in the urine.
That could change if a new medication called dapagliflozin gains wide acceptance. This medication works by causing the kidneys to secrete more sugar into and through the urine, so that it can leave the body thus lowering your blood sugar levels.
According to a report from the University of California, San Diego in June 2012, and the VA San Diego Healthcare System in the United States, excreting sugar in the urine can lead to weight loss, due to reducing calories, which is thought to increase insulin sensitivity. Type 2 diabetics with HbA1c levels of 8 to 9 per cent have shown drops of 0.5 to 1.0 per cent, as well as a weight loss of 4.4 to 6.6 lbs (2 to 3 kgs).
In March 2012 the Annals of Internal Medicine published the results of a study reported by researchers at University Hospital Aintree in Liverpool, United Kingdom. One hundred twenty-six treatment centers in Europe and North America participated in the study, which included 800 patients with poor control of their Type 2 diabetes.
All the Type 2 diabetics were being treated with at least 30 Units of insulin daily, which in some cases was in addition to oral anti-diabetic medications…
- the diabetics treated with dapagliflozin lowered their HbA1c levels by 0.79 to 0.96 per cent, compared with
- 39 per cent in the placebo group.
Study participants also showed a weight loss of 2 to 3.5 lbs (0.92 to 1.61 kgs) with dapagliflozin, compared with a weight gain of 0.9 lbs (0.43 kgs) for the placebo group. Both groups had about the same number of episodes of overly low blood sugar. The diabetics taking dapagliflozin had more cases of urinary tract infections.
From these results, it was concluded dapagliflozin improves blood sugar levels and reduces weight without increasing any episodes of low blood sugar.
The Federal Drug Administration in the United States and the European Commission are reviewing the drug’s safety and efficacy for possible clinical use. Human Use of the European Medicines Agency recommends approval of dapagliflozin for treatment of Type 2 diabetes in addition to diet and exercise.